「In reality.」
In the rear courtyard of the Qin Kingdom's Envoy's Mansion in the Zhou Imperial City.
A young woman in a pale pink dress sat on a stone bench in the courtyard.
With her head bowed, she was diligently stitching a pair of shoes.
Her personal Maid, Ming Yue, stood to the side, watching her mistress without blinking.
Ming Yue couldn't quite understand. Ever since her mistress had arrived in the Imperial City, her days were filled with studying the Zhou Kingdom's etiquette and customs and handling political affairs from the Qin Kingdom. Why, then, would she spend every free moment sitting in the courtyard making shoes?
But what Ming Yue found most baffling was something else.
In all the years she had served her mistress, she had never once seen her make shoes. Yet looking at her now, it seemed as if she had done it countless times before; every stitch was so practiced.
"There. It's finally done."
